Balance Deficits & Frequent Falling
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New walkers are known to be a little clumsy as those new feet learn how to move. But what if your toddler continues to struggle with keeping his balance? What if your little girl just cant seem to keep her feet underneath her? There could be another reason for those frequent falls.
Unstable feet
Feet that are weak, hypermobile, prone to injuries, or have increased or decreased muscle tone can cause an unstable foundation for the rest of the body to adequately function.
Body awareness
Throughout development, kids learn to control their body in space to prevent tripping and bumping into things, as well as the skill to navigate fun activities such as sports and playground equipment. Delayed or impaired body awareness can cause the child to frequently lose their balance.
Vestibular dysfunction
A child's inner ear structures contribute to overall balance and stability. Frequent ear infections, structural abnormalities, or hearing loss can contribute to the vestibular system poorly responding to the demands of the child's environment.
Coordination deficits
Motor coordination is the body's ability to move all the needed parts at the right time with the right speed or force. Kiddos who have poor or decreased coordination may struggle to move the body when more balance or stability is needed.
Visual impairments
Kids with known or suspected visual impairments may struggle to see or interpret the world around them causing the body to poorly interpret the space around them.
Sensory processing disorders
A sensory processing disorder is a miscommunication between the brain and the child's sensory systems, either one or multiple - vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and proprioception. Poor harmony between these systems can cause delayed or impaired signals to the muscles thus affecting the child's balance.